Hmrc Cheque, Not A Scam!

[bainbrig]

Got a pukka letter from HMRC saying I was due a substantial sum as a refund, and that for 4 days only, I could go on-line, enter my NI number and bank details, and get my money.

Like you (I hope!) I said “pi** off”. The letter also said that if I didn’t claim my money on line, I would get a cheque - in 60 days!

And... 60 days later, I got the cheque.

Happy ending, but seems a shoddy, haphazard way of doing the job, possibly with the intention of delaying payment by 60 days.

Any thoughrs?

BillB

[jno]

Four days isn't much, you could have been on holiday. Given that it's your money, you should be able to get it whenever you want.

[pastafreak]

It does sound like a scam, like those special offers..."and if you apply by the deadline, we'll give 10% more as a reward for prompt response!!"

[mikey4444]

This happened to me recently. I called the HMRC and a very nice chap said that it was indeed true....I was due for a tax refund, of over £800 ! They sent a form out, which I sent back the next day.

In about 6 days, the money arrived in my bank account !

Best to check with HMRC when you get these letters....this is how they operate apparently.

[murraymints]

I would always phone to check the validity of such a letter

[Islay]

If you can't be bothered to contact them for your money back they will hold onto it as long as legally possible - in this case 60 days!
Seems fair to me!

[mikey4444]

But they won't pay you any interest for those lost 60 days, so its worth following up any letter with a simple phone call. Why wait for money that belongs to you when you don't have to ?

[Islay]

No they don't pay interest as it is your responsibility to action the refund!

[bainbrig]

Sorry to have annoyed you, Islay.

[EcclesCake]

The four days is quite likely to be for security reasons.

If that is the case it seems a sensible precaution.

[pauln90]

I got one of these and to be honest they gave too much information for it to be a scam. I filled in the application on line and the money was in my account in four days. The official letter actually said you have 45 days to apply online or a cheque would be sent after 60 days.

On the same day I got the letter I received a scam e-mail saying I owed HMRC and if I didnt respond to the email immediately they would institute court proceedings to recover the money. Of course that email was immediately deleted. I did a google search and apparently some people contacted the scammers and were asked to pay sometimes hundreds of pounds in i-Tunes vouchers. Remarkably some followed the scammers instructions and passed the serial numbers from the vouchers to them.

[Islay]

?? You haven't annoyed me??

[Old_Geezer]

I just let them get around to sending the cheque. Wasn't desperate for the money; nor does the current account pay me interest. (Even saving accounts offer a urine extracting rate these days.) Seemed the safest way.

[ummmm]

I'd like to know what interest? It would be barely noticeable.

Anyway...good for you Bill.

[fiction-factory]

Are you sure it wasn't 45 days?

[bainbrig]

No, definitely 60 in my case, as we made a note on the calendar (thinking there'll NEVER be a cheque, will there?)

I also think it's part of a general attempt to phase out cheques - which is all very well, etc., but on the other hand we're warned to watch out for dodgy emails (and dodgy letters). Not well thought out, I feel.

[Islay]

Nothing to do with phasing out cheques, its not just a case of issuing a payment - there are checks in place to ensure that the payment is justified and going to the correct person and that it is not a scam set up by a member of staff.
Obviously HMRC would prefer to pay by BACS as it is actually expensive to pay by cheque.

[bainbrig]

Yes, it’s to do with phasing out cheques.

[mikey4444]

Bainbrig....100% correct....it is a desire to phase out cheques. Good result for you....my payment came at a time when the money was very handy !

[fiction-factory]

Hi- Iw asn't doubting the 60 day figure. When i asked whether you were sure it wasn't 45 days I was referring to your figure of 4 days.

I recommend getting an online personal tax login. Queries that used to take many weeks to sort out can now be resolved easily and I can see at a glance my gross earnings for each employer and provide info on forecast earnings so my tax codes can be adjusted whenever I fneed them changing. I can also monitor my annual NI records

[bainbrig]

Islay thinks otherwise, Mikey. Don’t antagonise her/him for gord’s sake.